


Uninvited

by GarbageFanfics



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Angella is best mom, Catra (She-Ra) Needs a Hug, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, Human AU, Micah is best dad, Past Child Abuse, support family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-10
Updated: 2019-12-10
Packaged: 2020-08-14 08:51:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 19,529
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20189578
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GarbageFanfics/pseuds/GarbageFanfics
Summary: Catra and Adora are getting married! after years of loving, healing, and accomplishing goals.  The two are now planning a wedding.  going through the invites of all their friends and family leads to a surprise guest asking to be invited.   Adora hoping for the best agrees to this request while it throws Catra into a spiral of painful memories.  Can Adora help plan her dream wedding and help Catra get the closure she needs?





	1. The big Question

It wasn’t like she hadn’t planned this for months. She received the emotional and teary-eyed approval from Angella when she asked for her permission to marry her adopted daughter. Now it was time to finally ask her. She choked on the last three attempts. Both romantic dates ended in sweat nothing—the exception was Adora had a good time and really like going on a sunset cruise and having a day trip to the New York to see a Broadway play, but the third time was supposed to be big and grand and impossible to back out of. College graduation was supposed to be the time when she got on one knee and proposed to her. But she chickened out. Now she was sitting on the white backyard bench at her girlfriend’s parents’ house enjoying a summer barbeque. She wasn’t really. While Adora mingled with her family everyone kept giving Catra the knowing look of something that needed to happen.

Catra just sat there with her hands in lap. She was dressed up fairly nice she wore a red and black sundress and the ring box was in her purse and she felt her face heating up.

Oh, c’ mon! everyone knows!

Catra looked up to see Adora talking with Glimmer and Bow. Adora; as always looked super pretty. She wore and red sundress with white flower print on it. She went to stand up—only to be pushed down by Mermista and Perfuma who decided to sandwich on the bench and question her.

“Is today the day?” 

“Are you nervous?”

“Do you need flowers? Are you going to do this in private? Or is it going to be Infront of everyone?”

“You look nervous? Are you going to choke again?”

“I bet Adora would like a grand special of affection”

“You look like you’re going to puke”

“I bet she’ll just love it! And she’ll run into your arms and cry and cry and you’ll—”

“Choke like last time?”

“Mermista!?” Perfuma snapped.

Mermista just shrugged and smiled at her “Hey, no biggie. Adora is like, head over heels for you. Just like in high school and she wouldn’t shut up about you”

Catra blinked and scoffed “Okay, well I want to hear more about this after I ask her” Catra got up with confidence and Mermista and Perfuma beamed at each other. 

This was it! It was happening now! Catra was going to propose. 

The Spanish girl walked over to Adora and instantly felt all her confidence drain as the blonde turned to her with a happy smile “Hey, Catra. Look we both have on dresses today. Cute, right? Mom wants us to take pictures later”

Catra felt her heart skip a beat and her face go red. Glancing around she could see people were watching her. Micah, Angella, Glimmer, Casta, everyone! Catra just gave a weak smile and nodded. 

“Yeah, that sounds cool,” Catra said, now looking at her sandals. Unable to look into Adora’s blue eyes anymore.

Adora lovingly lifted in her chin up to look into her girlfriend’s different colored eyes and asked.

“You okay, love?”

Catra had lost the ability to speak. Her face felt like it was on fire. She left out a slight squeak as she nodded which made Adora giggle and smiled at her. 

Catra turned away from her and asked.

“Can you grab me a soda?” she asked. 

Adora did so and Casta and Glimmer facepalmed by the grill next to Micah.

“She choked again?” Micah asked. Not looking up from the burgers.

“Yep,” Glimmer said with a bit of a pop escaping her lips. “Big-time”

Casta clasped her hands together Infront of her chest “Oh, I really hope so she tells her today. I brought my good camera and everything”

Angella then came from behind them and chimed in with “She’s nervous. You can’t blame her; all these eyes on her are not settling and none of you could keep a secret, so it only adds more anxiety” she said giving a Glimmer and Casta a glare.

Glimmer wave her hands and exclaimed “Hey, Bow and I helped with picking out a ring, Bow’s the one who told SeaHawk, who in returned told Mermista who told Perfuma, who told Frosta, and so on”

Casta gave a shrug “Don’t blame me, Micah told me”

Angella has her husband a glare to which in return he puckered his lips to blow her a kiss.

Catra then walked over to the four of them while Adora went back in the house.

Her tan face almost completely taken over by the blush that had made its way to the tips of her ears.

Glimmer snorted “So, how’s that soda?”

She received a sharp elbow nudge from her mother for that jab.

Catra growled and took a sip before muttering “It doesn’t help that everyone is watching”

Angella extended a hand to her shoulder and offered if Catra would want to propose in the living room away from everyone. Glimmer chimed in with how unromantic that would be and that the living room isn’t anyplace special. Micah offered the garage since that was Adora and Catra’s little make out hiding spot; which prompted Angella to question her on that. Catra desperately wished she was anywhere but here. Just then to further her embarrassment Scorpia and Entrapta arrived at the backyard and exclaimed--

“You still didn’t ask her?!” Scorpia cried. “Entrapta almost blew it! She was looking at her hand and was about to ask her about the ring and I had to stop her!”

Catra threw her hands in the air in defeat “I give up! Does everyone know?!”

To her dismay everyone nodded; even their neighbor behind the fence who was gardening popped up to add in she knew and wanted to see the proposal. Angella let out a soft laugh and quipped back with “So, that’s y your out of the air conditioning, Marcy”

Catra exhaled a loud annoyed groan.

Just then Adora came from inside the house again to see everyone looking at her. 

“Uh, am I missing anything?” she asked with a chuckled. Everyone turned to Catra; who was now sweating and a few faint whispers started.

Catra cleared her throat and rushed over to her purse to grab something. 

Adora just went over to her parents to ask about the food and when she looked over, she saw Catra coming over to her.

Catra grabbed her arm and escorted her to the middle of the yard. In front of everyone. Adora confusedly looked around.

“Wats going on. Are we starting a game or something?”

Catra took both her hands into her own and looked away briefly to see all eyes were on her.

“N—no, no game. I just…. Need to ask you something”

Adora smiled and looked down at their interlocked hands. She giggled. 

Catra smiled. Her confidence came back in that instance. 

_Adora was so beautiful! She will love me forever! I know she’ll say yes. This is the right decision._

Catra’s smile brightened a bit as she let out a small. 

“Adora, I’m super excited that we’re going to live together soon. Everything we ever wanted is coming to us—”

Adora smile at gave a bashful smile. Unaware of all the eyes on them.

While they were distracted Angella, Casta, Glimmer, and Perfuma whipped out their phones to record the declaration of love.

“I’m so happy with you and I want you to be happy with me. Do you feel happy with me?”

Adora looked down at their hands again and smiled at her. Her cheeks turning slightly pink at the question. She looked into her eyes again and replied with a hushed tone of shyness. 

“Of course, you do, silly. We’ve been dating since high school”

Her attention was quickly caught with Casta’s giant Nikon camera pointing at them. Her cheeks increased in temperature as she realized everyone was starring at them with their cameras out. 

“Uh, Catra….. everyone ones watching us” she meekly informed; the obvious embarrassment shining through her voice. 

Catra bit her lip for a second and replied with.

“Y—yeah. That’s because they are all…. kinda in the loop about what’s going on”

Adora gave her a confused look “What do you mean?” she looked around to see everyone was still watching them and she squirmed a bit in her and swayed her shoulders side to side; still holding Catra’s hands as she exclaimed to her unwanted audience.

“Guys! Quit recording us, you’ve all seen us hold hands!” 

Everyone started to laugh at that as Adora went beat red. Catra giggled with them and smiled at Adora again before adding in.

“They’ll stop recording after this”

“After what?”

Catra smiled at and unclasped her hands from Adora’s and got on one knee. She took out the small black box she had in her sundress pocket. 

Adora covered her mouth in shock. Eyes wide. She was in disbelief at what she was seeing. 

Catra! The love of her life on one knee in front of her.

“Adora—” Catra began. Opening the box her hands started to shake a bit as her voice started to tremble with every word she started to speak “Y—you’re the love of my life. My soulmate. I want to make you happy for the rest of your life. I want to be with you forever. Adora, will you marry me?”

Adora instantly dropped to her knees and cried into her hands. Catra took her right hand away from her face to place the ring on her finger. Adora couldn’t help but cry more, as did Catra; who tried her hardest to fight it. Both embraced and cried in each other’s arms while the crowd of onlookers cheered and awed at them. 


	2. Spread the Word!

Growing up the girls didn’t see each other that much. Adora was adopted at age nine and went off to live with the Brighten family. Angella was a respected doctor while her husband Micah was a cop. They had a daughter a year older than Adora and it was a rough adjustment for the poor girl. After being raised in a physically and mentally abusive household it took a toll on Adora warming up to her family. She feared every move she made would upset them and it wasn’t long until she had an emotional breakdown. Angella and Micah knew Adora was on the spectrum but didn’t know how to address it. Lucky for them Castaspella was a child therapist who specialized in autistic children and was able to help Adora through her adjustments with therapy and not heavily relying on mid numbing medication. 

Catra was not as lucky. She lived with Sue Weaver until she was sixteen and after an investigation and major incident; Catra was able to emancipate herself from Sue and lived in a shelter for a year until Scorpia’s family met her and took her in. It wasn’t long for until the wanted to legally adopt her as well. Catra was officially an adopted child a few months before turning eighteen. It was an amazing feeling to have people want her around and love her for herself. 

Adora was one of those people. When they reunited in high school it was meant with tension. Catra was a bit of a thug while Adora was a perfectionist. They clashed on sports teams together. The two started as frenemies to secret pining lovers. Too afraid of their feelings they tried to hide them. It got on all their friends’ nerves. Especially since Catra would watch Adora’s soccer practices and distract her. 

Adora would innocently kick one of the balls over during warmups to the bleachers. She played it off as an accident and would shout “My bad, I got it” to run off to grab it. 

Her friends knowing all too well someone was behind the bleachers. Catra and she would share a few kisses during practice. It wasn’t long before Angella could see a mood shift in Adora. She was always happy; but the practically floating on air attitude she had after practice made it clear she had a crush; that and the lip gloss smudges around her mouth and the occasional lipstick cheek marks she would innocently sport around her face without knowing. 

It took a few weeks of noticing for Angella to finally mention the lip gloss smudges around the mouth. 

Her mother wiped her lip and asked: “So when will you admit to me you’ve been snogging?” 

Adora’s mind went into full panic mode as her ears went as red as her sports jacket. She stammered out a reply.

“W—what? I—I don’t know what you're saying? What? Snogging!? W—where do you come up with this stuff mom, seriously?” her arms flailed around nervously.

Angella crossed her arms and gave her a smirk before calmly replying with “I’ve been quiet for three weeks now, So Adora, tell me their name or I’ll be compelled to mention this to your father. If you think this is embarrassing right now, just wait until he finds out”

Adora hid her red face from her mother. Oh, God! Her mother was blocking the exit from the kitchen. She couldn’t escape the stairway. 

Angella chuckled and patted her shoulders “I’m teasing sweetheart, but in all honesty, could I please get a name for this mystery snogger”

Adora hated when her mom used British slang. Somehow snogging sounded worse than making out. 

“C—Catra, the friend I had in foster care, that’s the girl I’ve, umm. Kissed….” She trailed off. Her face was mixed with embarrassment and slight unease. “I—I’ve wanted to say something since last year, but I didn’t know how to say that I don’t like boys……..” Adora’s eyes watered. “You wouldn’t be upset if I turned out to be a lesbian, right?” 

Angella quickly embraced her daughter “Adora, my sweet girl. I love you no matter what. Everyone does”

Adora returned her mother’s embrace and sniffled into her chest “Thanks mom”

It wasn’t long after when they first got to meet Catra. All be it not planned. The soccer season was ending and the home game for Adora’s team was almost a lose until Adora made the winning goal. Happily, she rushed over to her other teammates for a victory hug. After that, she went over to her mother and father to see them cheering for her too. In the corner of her eyes, she saw Catra to the side of the bleachers and Adora instantly rushed to her. Leaving her parents in shock.

“Did we just get ditched?” Micah questioned. 

Angella smiled and shrugged “Appears our Adora is going through puppy love”

Micah confusedly looked over to see Adora talking to a young tan girl with an ear-piercing. 

“Oh, I know that girl,” Micah said.

Angella smiled “Oh really?”

“Yeah, I arrested her once”

“Wait? What?”

In actuality, Catra and Micah got along great and the time she got arrested; it was a misunderstanding. Later on, Catra would come over to hang out with Adora at the house. Stay over for dinner and even sleepover. In the guest room obviously, but somehow one of them would end up in each other’s bed to have a brief cuddle session. Angella never worried about the two of them having sex underage; she tried to give Adora the talk once; only for her daughter to almost stop breathing at the thought of it. The subject came much later after Adora was nineteen about sex. Which was good for a mother to hear that the two waited until they were more mature and took things slowly. Only bad for Micah on the fact that the time Catra and Adora did decide to have sex was when he was home and he had to hear what he thought was a cry of pain coming from Adora’s room; only to rush in and see Catra—butt naked in between his adopted daughters legs, while Adora had only a gray tank top on. 

His exact words to Angella after that ordeal was “It’s not just the image that’s burned into my mind, but the sound she made! Oh, God! Angella, what happened to our baby girl?”

Angella then replied with a shrug “She’s grown up. As much as it horrifies us, we need to accept our daughters are young adults with active sex lives now”

His eyes popped “Wait? Does Glimmer know what sex is now too?! Angie, please I can only handle so much pain for one day! It was bad enough when they started their periods and needed to bras!”

She laughed at her husbands’ distress. It took a good few weeks before Adora and Micah could be in the same room as each other and Catra stayed far away or a while too. After the embarrassment wore off, they were fine. 

Back to the present day after the proposal. 

Catra and Adora had moved away from the party to Adora’s old childhood bedroom to talk. Micah; having the best dad sense of humor put one of his dirty socks on the door handle. As much as Angella didn’t want to laugh at the low brow humor—she couldn’t help herself. 

Adora had her phone out and saw that everyone had uploaded the proposal videos to Facebook. As well as liking Adora’s long Facebook announcement and status change from “in a relationship” to “engaged”

_Today marks the day where the love of my life made the happiest person in the world. I am officially engaged to the beautiful; Carlotta Maria Delmonico! _

There was some sappier emotional stuff in the paragraph but Catra didn’t finish it; she was a little embarrassed about watching the proposal videos from different points of view and felt it wasn’t as romantic as she had intended. In reality, it was perfect. But seeing her shy and nervousness be so visible lead to a sea of comments from all their friends on Facebook. 

Mermista:

Awwwww! It was so cute. Adora had no clue!

Perfuma:

I knew it was going to happen today; She had this aura around her that signified confidence!

Lonnie:

LOL, why does Catra look like she’s about to have a seizure! She’s all sweaty! HAHAHA

Kyle:

Yay! Congrats!

Rogelio:

Catra’s doing that leg twitch thing she does when she’s stressed out. How long was she planning this?

Glimmer:

Months!

Bow:

We helped with finding a ring!

Glimmer:

She went off script with her proposal speech. She had a cute one written down and everything.

Adora:

Really?!

Catra:

Glimmer you're uninvited!

Glimmer:

LOL, good luck with that.

Lonnie:

Bet it was sappy and filled with all the mushy cutesy feelings Carlotta pretends to not have.

Catra:

Your uninvited too Lonnie

Adora:

Anyone with embarrassing and cute stories on Catra; please IM me!

Rogelio:

Working on it!

Bow:

Catra’s real name is Carlotta? How am I just finding this out now?

Catra:

Rogelio is uninvited now

Adora:

At this rate, we’ll have no guests, babe LOL

Catra:

It’s about to get smaller, your SISTER just sends me a google doc. Of all your embarrassing moments as a child

Adora:

Glimmer! Sorry, I love you, but you’re on the banned list now!

Glimmer:

LOL

After a bit, more banter between friends and it was time to head home. Catra and Adora were grossed out to see Micah’s sock on the door handle but didn’t dwell too much on it. They went back home to finally enjoy their engagement together with a warm bath and some very passionate lovemaking. 

Catra drifted off to sleep before Adora did. She checked her profile to see everyone congratulating them. 

it wasn’t long for more people to see the proposal video and the statues change from the two girls. One other onlooker into Adora’s Facebook page was a certain old foster mother. The now aged and sickly Sue Weaver sat alone in her house. This news came as no shock to her. She knew from early on the girls were a gay for each other and as a devout Jehovah Witness, she did not tolerate it. After Adora left her foster home she grew crueler to Catra. After losing her ability to foster children after abuse allegations were brought to the State; Sue became distant from everyone and she blamed Catra for it. Now seeing the two girls having a happily ever after made her change some of her old thoughts of them came flooding back to her. She didn’t hate them. She didn’t love them enough to have been better to them, but she wanted to be in their lives still, somehow, she felt it was fair to ask for that. She typed in a question to Adora’s instant messenger. 

_Adora, this is Sue. I am very happy to see you getting married. I would like to sit you and have coffee sometime this week if that is okay?_

Adora saw this and felt her body go cold? How could Sue even ask her this? After all, she did? After what she put them through as kids? After how badly she treated Catra? After she beat Catra and scarred her for life! She couldn’t think that dropping in to say Hi was an okay thing to ask. 

Adora responded:

_Sue, thank you for the invite, but I must decline. Out of respect for Catra, I don’t think it would be right to meet up to talk._

Sue:

_I understand. However, if your mind changes, I will be home all day Sunday if you feel like stopping by. I know Catra will be off on that “Business trip” _

Adora felt uneasy. Sue took the time to stalk their Facebook pages to know that Catra is flying across the country to do makeup design for a movie. 

Adora replied with:

_We will see. _


	3. Catra's Rise

Catra gave her fiancé one last kiss goodbye before boarding the plane. This was one of Catra’s biggest gigs yet. Catra received some mild fame in town for being the makeup artist for the local bridal show and makeup Expo. Now she was off to Canada to be a makeup artist for a new movie. She was also going to get an interview and photoshoot about herself for the charity work she did for the women’s shelter she helped with. 

All of Catra’s hard work and accomplishments made Adora’s heart sore. Catra was a giving and kind soul. She was compassionate and empathetic. The entire time Adora was in medical school Catra worked on perfecting her craft and made a name for herself as well as being support through Adora’s nine-year journey through college. Now Adora was Doctor of Veterinarian care and will be working on the horse polo field as the onsite Doctor. 

This is a major blow to Catra’s career, however. It meant moving to another State and starting all over again. They were going from the city to a literal farm in the middle of nowhere. 

Catra didn’t mind though. She loved Adora and would follow her anywhere now. A few years ago, it would have been a different story, but she had matured and grown since then. 

Adora continued to embrace Catra at the gate of the airport.

“Babe? People are staring” Catra offered. Slightly embarrassed by how unaware Adora could be at public displays of affection. 

Adora hummed and reminded her she didn’t care.

“I won’t see you for two months, we need to soak up all the love from each other while we still can”

Onlooker started “awe” 

Catra felt her face heat up as she sheepishly moved away from her overly affectionate fiancé. 

“We’ll be all lovey and cutesy when I get back, okay. Besides we have a wedding to plan, remember?”

Adora chuckled and lifted up her hand to show Catra her ring on her finger “How can I forget”

The two shared one last kiss—for real this time and departed ways.

Adora was sad for a few days without her Catra around. All the emails from her new boss didn’t cheer her up. The house the company was paying for was lovely. All expenses paid. This was a real privilege for fresh out of school doctor. All be it, Adora interned and worked at Vet office sense Grad school; she still was happy to get such a great job in such a bad economy. 

She rolled onto her side and scrolled through her posts. 

Scorpia messaged her

Hey, Lonnie said you asked for embarrassing stories on Catra?

Adora giggled and replied.

She actually offered them up without asking. She told me about her destroying her room to kill a spider and the one where she was dyed her hair red and you guys called her “Shadow the sped—hog”

Scorpia:

LOL, I never called her that. But I got a few I can share. Just have to get Catra’s permission first

Adora:

You’re a good friend. I wish my mom and dad asked my permission before unloading every possible thing about me imaginable to Catra when we were dating. 

It was a short text session. Scorpia said that Catra’s last text to her was: “Say anything and you're uninvited”

Sunday finally came and Adora contemplated her discussion on seeing Sue. Would it upset Catra? Most likely, but she wanted to know why now of all times would she want to talk to Adora. At this point in Adora’s life, she had nothing to say to Sue. 

She needed to know why. 

She sent Sue a message saying she will be there. 

She received a reply back instantly that she was looking forward to it. 

Adora knew this was sneaky. She didn’t tell anyone where she was going. She drove to the other side of town to where Sue Weaver lived and was surprised to see nothing had really changed. Sure, all the kid stuff in the backyard was gone, like the tire swing and the playground. Shit, even the tree was gone too. The paint on the house was fading. It looked it could use a power wash around the perimeter, and it looked almost abandoned. 

She rang the doorbell to be greeted by the smell of cigarettes—she forgot Sue was a chain smoker. 

“Adora,” she greets “My, my what a beautiful woman you have grown to be”

Adora nodded “Hi—uh, Sue? It’s been a really long time” she said. Nervousness slipping through her voice. Sue escorted her in. The house looked cluttered and nothing had changed much from when Adora was a child. 

They sat on the couch and Sue asked about medical school. What made her want to be a Veterinarian? How was her family? What did she get to do as a child? Very simple and earnest questions. Adora couldn’t see herself falling into old habits as she spilled everything to her. 

He family was goo to her, she traveled and saw Disneyland, Bush Gardens, Studios Orlando Florida, and got into horseback riding in her tween years. She later moved on to different sports. Her parents were loving and supportive, she had an older sister that was her best friend and she made lots of other friends in school that she has kept long-lasting memories with. When it finally came to Catra being brought up; Sue stopped her and retrieve several envelopes of pictures in them. 

Adora couldn’t help but get a little choked up. These were old, old, pictures of them. Adora as a baby, sitting with the other babies, Catra as a baby. Them together in the bathtub, playing outside, sleeping together. These were some of their better memories. It wasn’t until they were four is when things got bad for Sue and she became cruel to the kids. Adora was a slight exception. It surprised her that Sue would even keep these all this time.

“I made these copies. I want you to have them. I figured these would mean a lot to you two since you two were practically destined to spend your lives together” Sue commented.

Adora looked at her with shock. She always assumed Sue hated the idea of Catra and Adora being so close together.

“I—I, thank you, Sue, this means a lot me. Catra will like these, thank you” She couldn’t think of anything else to say.

Sue gave her a warm smile and embraced her on the couch. “I’m glad you appreciate it, Adora”

A sort pauses in the conversation happened and Adora hoped that was a cue to leave, but Sue then asked.

“I want to have closure from my past, in my old age I want to do right by you two as adults. I’ve made a piece in some ways with my other foster children. Now its time to do right by you two”

Adora sighed and looked down slightly “I have already moved on from everything that happened from when I was a kid. And Catra—”

“Catra has not. I know that for a fact. I have information that Catra might wish to know. And it may help her and you out greatly in your future together”

Adora looked worried. This seemed unsettling. What could she have that Catra and she needed?

“I can give you this in exchange for one favor”

Adora gulped slightly before asking “W—what would that be?”

The older women gave her a coy smile before lighting up another cigarette “I would like to be invited to your wedding”

“I…….” Adora dint knows how to answer this. Catra wouldn’t want her there but she says she wants closure and to make piece with Catra; she couldn’t turn down that chance to give Catra piece. “I need to talk to Catra more about it, thank you”

Sue didn’t push any further. She accepted Adora’s answer and left it alone. They talked a bit longer after that in regards to work and vacations. 

When Adora arrived home, she was happy to get a notification that Catra’s interview and the photoshoot were today and it went really well. 

They went back and forth through text messages

Catra:

It was pretty emotional when she asked about my childhood and my love for makeup. 

Adora:

They were nice to you, right?

Catra:

They were. The photoshoot was intense. The guy who took my pics said I have a model face.

Adora:

I could have told you that babe

Catra:

The celebrities I’m working with are all D-listers and are all super nice. They are all the background characters for some of the scenes. I can’t give much more details but I’m going out for drinks with them tonight. How was your day?

Adora could have easily said she went to see Sue but was afraid to ruin Catra’s mood. So, she lied and told her it was uneventful.

Adora was worried. She should have told her the truth but for now, this was the best she could do. 

Earlier that day:

The footage won't air for another week or so, but Catra was sitting in front of a live studio audience for a Canadian talk show host.

The host:

"I am sitting with American makeup stylist Carlotta Delmonico; Better known as “Catra” by her YouTube following. She was a SkillsUSA first place winner in Cosmo design and a college-level competitor winning several gold medals and well as the Platinum challenge for the U.S. making her a local legend. Catra is now on set filming with us in Canada for the two months and will be returning home soon to complete her work at her chair in downtown Providence, Rhode Island where she provides makeup service to all who come in the door. Catra here is pro-trans rights and offered free makeup lessons during PRIDE RI of 2019 and is a part of several women’s health groups in where she shows women who have severe scars and burns on their face and arms to conceal with makeup. Catra has revived confidence in so many peoples lives, and we are so thankful to have her here today with us, thank you"

The audience applauded as Catra shyly smiled and kept her eyes on the host. She didn’t want to look into the crowd of people starring at her.

She nodded modestly.

The host began to speak again.

“Now Catra, I hope that brief introduction gave people a bit more insight to you, but if you could in your own words tell us how you got into your current profession and what were the steps that brought here?”

Catra cleared her throat and started with.

“I got into makeup at an early age. My foster mother would let me use her old makeup to play with and when I went into high school; the school offered a vocational program for cosmetology and took it. I was originally going to do cooking classes, but that class was already filled. So I got really into it and my teacher recommended going into the competition. I placed my first year and kept with it”

The host then asked.

“In foster care, as I was made aware before the show—you were taken from the home due to abuse. Was the cosmetology an escape from it?”

Catra tenses up as her eyes darted around to see the expressions of some of the audience change from smiles to frowns. Her past was a sad topic for her. 

She cleared her throat. 

“It was. When I was fifteen, I applied for a job at a beauty salon to be a receptionist and she said I was too young. She then offered me to work in the retail store when I turned sixteen, so I did. I got emancipated that year too and I lived in a youth shelter for a year until my best friends’ parents took me in and adopted me. The whole time to get my mind off all the stress of school and life, in general, was my art. I would draw, watch videos on how to design and do stuff. Read books at the library about cosmetology”

The host asked.

“After high school did you know where you wanted to go for college?”

Catra nodded

“I did. I got a full scholarship to a State college and I still competed with college-level students and my major was business management. I was the only few high school-aged students to have my Cosmo license leaving high school, so I was able to advance in tattooing and permanent makeup classes right away—”

She was cut off the audience applauses

She laughed a little as she finished her sentence

“I kept trying to perfect my craft until I got an opportunity to get a job at the Providence Place Mall as a stylist for a bridal spa. I had met a lot of really great people there and I had one client who asked me to be her private makeup artist for her wedding and she flew me out to New Jersey and everything and I never realized she was a producer for “The real housewives of New Jersey” and she convinced me to do a YouTube channel,”

Another question from the Host

“I am sure you are aware of how strongly the Canadian Country is for the safety of children and the LGBT community—How did you get into supporting gay and trans rights through your art?”

Catra smiled at that.

“Well first off—I’m bi—and I just proposed to my long-term girlfriend of six years a few days before coming out Canada,”

The crowd cheers and the host smiles at her.

“My best friend was out in high school and she got picked on. I and my girlfriend were still—somewhat in the closet at this time and we didn’t want people to know our business. My friend was getting bullied and was being told she wasn’t pretty enough to be gay or straight,”

That warranty a few sad remarks from the crowd.

“And after I got suspended for threatening to beat up all the people that said that to her—”

The crowd laughed a little at that.

“I gave her this extreme makeover and she later became prom Queen in our senior year”

The crowd applauded again.

“And trans rights?”

Catra cleared her throat. 

“I met someone in college that was trans and got dirty looks in Sephora and I took them aside and told them to come to my job and I would give them a crash course for makeup, later they told me about PRDE looking for cosmetic specialist”

The crowd cheered.

The host smiled and asked.

“Now, with all that being said. Where do you see your career now and what the future plans may hold”?

Catra shifted in her seat a bit.

“Well, my wife has a fantastic job lined up and because of that, we will be moving. I will still keep up with my YouTube channel, but I feel I might actually open up my own studio where we plan to live”

The host then asked

“That’s such a huge sacrifice on your part. Do you think you will find success in moving?”

Catra tone then becomes a bit more serious.

“My whole life no one excepted me to be anything special or be good at anything. I had two jobs at a time just to survive and even with the small success, I had with YouTube I still wasn’t making ends meet for myself. I’m someone who doesn’t stop trying. And I will always be that person no matter what”

The audience then gave her standing applause as the host blinked and cleared her throat.

“Catra, you’re an incredible young lady. Thank you for being on the show with us today”


	4. Home

The article and photos finally came out! It was on a Canadian website and the link slowly trickled into Rhode Island news feeds and eventually everyone Catra and Adora knew saw it. The clip of Catra on TV, the interview was in a script form for online readers and photoshoot they did with Catra was amazing. They did a few noir pictures of Catra in a salon and then some in color photos of her posing and modeling. A big highlight was her face and her eyes. Adora liked the pics. They were sexy. A big too sexy as Adora needed to use those pics to “relief” some pent-up stress feelings she had since her beloved Catra was still away. 

**Adora:**

**Babe, I’ve been getting off to your pics all week**

**Catra:**

**Eww! TMI**

**Adora:**

**C’mon you miss me too**

**Catra: **

**Of course, I miss you, but I don’t you to tell you when I masturbate to the thought of you!**

**Adora:**

**Have you?**

**Catra:**

**Don’t be stupid of course I have! I just don’t tell you!**

**Adora:**

**You should start telling those sort of things**

**Catra:**

**Fine. **

**Adora:**

**When was the last time you did?**

**Catra:**

**This morning……..**

**Adora:**

**Oh? What were you thinking about? Was it your couch fantasy?**

**Catra:**

**(Angry face emoji & blushing emoji) Yes! Now stop asking embarrassing questions!**

**Adora:**

**LOL, you always get embarrassed about this stuff.**

**Catra:**

**Sex is embarrassing! **

**Adora:**

**Your still so shy about it!!!! We’ve been doing it for years now and you still get so flustered about it. Even though when we are in bed; you are so bossy and dominating—how can you be sexy and shy at the same time? **

**Catra:**

**AAAHHH!!!!! You are so embarrassing, Adora!**

They did take their relationship very slow at first. It was months into dating before they kissed with tongue. And when Adora first got the “tingles” in between her legs she immediately freaked out a little. Talking to your girlfriend about these sorts of things was weird. As in she made seventeen-year-old Catra go red as a tomato while getting her to confess to getting the same feelings. They agreed to not have sex until college and even during that time they didn’t jump into bed either. Some extended make-out sessions and boob grabs were as far as they went. Until Adora finally pushed for more. But it was gentle and easy for them to get used to each other. As for Catra’s couch fantasy; it was a wet dream and a dirty video online she found, and she admitted that to Adora. In which Adora wanted all the details and to see the video. 

That dirty little secret became their thing and they have “done it” on every couch they could find. Hotel rooms, Adora’s parents’ house, Catra’s house; which is also Scorpia’s parent's house, Glimmer’s apartment; but she doesn’t know about that, and so on. 

Now with all the time that has passed. Catra was finally coming home. Adora had worked at her current job and wasn’t able to come to get her at the airport. Scorpia picked her instead. Scorpia and Catra had an interesting history together. Scorpia’s parents owned a coffee shop and one time she was getting bullied by some high school seniors when she was a sophomore and they swiped her tip jar filled with money. Catra was just a customer and she went outside to stop them and kick their asses. That’s also when she met Micah; who thought the kid Catra was kicking was getting mugged. After a long ordeal at the police station, it was figured out by the security camera inside and outside the store what had happened. The kid who swiped the tip jar just got a scolding his dad went to pick him up. Catra was unlucky and was told she had to wait for her social worker to get her and bring her to the shelter. Once Scorpia’s parents caught wind of Catra’s situation; they offered her a place to stay in their house. Later on, they officially adopted her. 

Scorpia had a huge crush on Catra from the moment she saw her. But it didn’t go anywhere, the one time it almost did it was stopped by Scorpia’s mom; Cheryl. Catra would support and help Scorpia feel more confident and special. Now Scorpia is the alpha gay girl and has to fight girls off with stick nowadays. Which Catra now delights to poke fun.

Scorpia told Catra that everyone saw the interview. 

Catra groaned “I don’t see what the big deal is”

“Uh, the big deal is you got interviewed on an international TV show and your salon and YouTube channel are going crazy for you, your awesome!”

Catra smiled “Thanks, but seriously it’s no big deal. I’m not a doctor or anything I just do makeup, that’s all”

Catra couldn’t shake the fact that Adora was going to be called Dr. Brighten from now on and there were some secret feelings of inadequacy. She felt that Adora was too good for her and even with Catra’s fame and popularity she didn’t make enough money to live on her own in one of the most expensive states in New England and take time off to do whatever. Adora could; she made that kind of money and she came from a rich family. Scorpia knew all too well the feeling Catra had and knew to snuff it out as quickly as possible.

“Hey, hey, hey—Catra you're amazing. Do you have any clue how proud Adora is of you, I mean she hasn’t shut up about your engagement and your career boost? Like, seriously I love you and all, but this girl won’t shut up about you. It’s kind of annoying”

Catra chuckled at that. Leave it to Adora to be so sappy.

When she finally got home, she started to pack. It wasn’t long until Adora rushed in to grab her fiancé and knocked her to the ground to kiss her. 

Catra giggled into the kiss. The affection Adora gave her made her heart leap. The two kissed passionately on the floor of their apartment. Adora’s tongue made its way out of Catra’s mouth and onto her neck. Kicking down to her collar bone as her right hand made its way up her shirt and slipped into her bra to stroke her breast. 

Catra let out a moan of pleasure. 

For someone who could be so awkward; Adora knew her way around the female body. Namely, Catra’s as that was the one who was on the receiving end of all Adora’s passion. Adora would suggest new things and Catra would go along with. Catra was someone who would take charge sometimes as well. She was more of a direct-action lover while Adora was someone who wanted it to be a long process. Catra had a hot passion about her when she initiated sex; which Adora loved and wished she did it more. But the chances to get Catra to whine and moan like now was perfect for her. She could easily get off to the faces Catra made. They came a long way from:

_Nineteen-year-old Adora sitting next to her father at the kitchen table. Both hadn’t spoken much to each other after the incident with him walking in on Catra and her. It was still an embarrassing topic and the two didn’t want to confront it. Micah didn’t even have the heart to tell Angella right away. It wasn’t until Angella questioned their strange silence around each other; especially since it was hockey season and the two loved hockey. Micah finally confessed about the incident to Angella and didn’t press much onto the matter except to tell him to expect his daughters to be sexually active given their age and the time they now live in. She managed to ambush both with the promise of pizza for dinner to get them to sit at the table at the same time._

_“Okay, let me just start by saying; Adora, you should be more mindful of the other members in this household. I can appreciate you for being in a safe place while doing an intimate activity, but you shouldn’t have done that without checking if someone was home first” _

_Adora’s face went paler than usual as she darted her eyes between both parents._

_Angella then turned to Micah_

_“Micah? Darling, you should also be mindful to not barge into any of our daughters’ room; given their current ages and now new proclivities. We need to be aware they may not always be dressed for an intrusion—so be mindful that even under certain concerns we need to knock before entering” _

_Micah’s ears were burning. He didn’t like having this talk about Adora—while Adora was sitting right next to him!_

_Adora then felt all the color rush back to her face as she let what her mother said sink in. _

_They know she was with Catra and they know about sex; namely that Catra and Adora tried to have sex._

_Angella than instructed them to “Hug it out and move on”_

_Micah and Adora did so awkwardly. And moved away from each other as quickly as they could. Micah then turned to Adora and became slight defensive._

_“Just to be clear, as a father. If I hear someone yell “Ow” I should be right to investigate the situation” He just had to through that in. He didn’t do anything wrong besides not knocking and the image was stilled burned in his head. _

_Adora tensed up a bit as her mother’s gaze grew concerned._

_“Adora you were in pain?” she asked._

_Adora didn’t want to explain; but she saw Micah cross his arms and reply if “If I had to relive that memory of Catra’s butt, then I deserve an explanation”_

_Angella crossed her arms too. _

_Adora wined and covered her face with her hands as she exclaimed “She tripped over my shoes getting onto the bed and fell face-first on my—hip bone” _

_Headfirst into her crotch, but hip bone sounded better._

_Instead of getting scolded her parents started laughing. Adora huffed and stomped upstairs. She never did get that pizza Angella promised her. _

Catra collapsed on the floor. Covering her mouth panting in ecstasy. Adora was on her knees admiring her naked beauty on the floor with her legs still opened from the mind-blowing orgasm she gave her. The blonde wiped her mouth proudly. _Man, I’m good._ Adora thought.

Catra regained her senses and looked at Adora. Her face still flushed she asked.

“You want to move to the bedroom?”

Adora nodded and helped Catra up; just to sweep her up into her arms causing the naked girl to squeak

“Carry me across the threshold already”

Adora chuckled and started to walk down the hall “Yep,”

After placing Catra on the bed she was instantly greeted with Catra’s quick reflexes taking Adora down onto the bed with her and getting Adora on to her back within seconds. 

Adora smirked “I like it when you get like this” Adora purred and suppressed a fit of giggles. She was always a nervous giggler when it came to sex. Despite being the one who always wants it. Catra licked her lips and lifted Adora’s shirt reveling her stomach; the brunette kissed all around the blonde’s torso making her giggle and squirm with delight. She didn’t hesitate to remove Adora’s pants. The blonde then flew her head back on the pillow for this part. Catra was amazing at “this” part. Feeling her remove her underwear she heard the sound of Catra locking her fingers and then she felt Catra teasingly insert them into her. Adora’s eyes fluttered while closed as she felt Catra’s fingers pumping in and out, curling and hitting “that” spot she liked so much. Catra lowered herself to kiss and suck Adora’s aroused nub. Adora moaned loudly. Catra removed her fingers and finished the job with her tongue. 

“Oh, God! Please never make me go two months without this again!” Adora cried.

Her hips bouncing as she continued to moan. Catra had her close to her climax. She greedily licks all around Adora’s sensitive flesh until she felt wet muscles spasms around her tongue and purred into Adora’s wetness and kissed around her outer lips. Feeling Adora twitch and sigh in pleasure was satisfying for her. 

Before she could do anything else, she heard the front door open and the sound of their friends coming in.

“Hey Catra, Welcome back!” she heard Perfuma call to them.

“We got tiny food!” exclaimed Entrapta.

“Uhhh are they even home?” Glimmer asked. Catra realized she was butt naked and her clothes were still in the living room. Adora panicked and threw her pants on and adjusted her shirt. She rushed out of the bedroom.

Ssshhh, guys, Catra’s sleeping” Adora lied. 

Catra shuffled around the bedroom as quietly as she could as she heard the muffled sounds of giggling and talking.

Glimmer commented to Adora about Catra’s clothes being on the floor and teased if the Raptor happened? 

Adora lied and said she knocked over the laundry hamper and must have forgotten to pick them up. Everyone knew that was a lie and called Adora a “horn dog”

Catra could hear them ganging up on Adora but didn’t step in; since it was the truth. 

With them thinking she was asleep she did have an excuse to finally take a nap after her long plane ride. 

After they left, she spoke with Sue through Facebook again. 

**Sue:**

**What time works for you both?**

**Adora:**

**Tomorrow will. She’s off until Wednesday and I’m off early tomorrow because I have met only.**

**Sue:**

**Good. Have you shown her the pictures I gave you yet?**

**Adora:**

**Not yet. **

**Sue: Will you tomorrow before I arrive?**

**Adora:**

**Yes, I want her to be surprised to see you. I have a good idea in easing her into all of this. **

**Sue:**

**Thank you for all of this Adora. I will see you tomorrow. Have a good night, child.**

**Adora:**

**Goodnight Sue.**

Adora went off to bed to be met with her sleepy Catra; jetlagged from the plane ride over; slept through the entire time their friends were over and even dinner. She cuddled up to her. She was pleased with herself. She was going to make Catra’s day tomorrow; giving her the one thing Catra always wanted from Sue. Closure. 

Sue did want closure. But Adora has somewhat easily forgotten how self-serving Sue could be.

Sue opened her email messenger up and re-read an old email she had from earlier that month.

_Susan L. Weaver,_

_I am saddened to inform you that Michael Simmons had lost his battle with Cancer before the meeting could come about. As his attorney to the Estate, I am pleased to inform his last will concluded that if you were still able to produce his heir to the estate with DNA proof coming to New Jersey; you will still be entitled to the $500,000 reward for finding his lost heir. All remaining elements of the estimate will go to the heir as was his final wish. Please be in contact soon. We only have a short window of time until other family members try to go after his estate. Please have Carlotta Delmonico come to New Jersey as soon as possible._

_Best Regards,_

_Attorney Robert Lewis_

_Simmons Estate _


	5. Sue Weaver

Wednesday morning started off well enough. Adora went off to work while Catra got to stay home and finish the packing with Scorpia. Her Studio owner begged if she could come back from her time off earlier; but Catra declined. She wanted a break. Now with the house mostly packed; they were only going to be in town for a few more weeks. After that; it was off to one of the top horse training fields in America for Adora to be the head Doctor of the equestrian league. The position was once in a lifetime and given Adora’s age this could be the biggest successful decision of her young Veterinarian career. Catra was going to miss the city, her family, job, and friends. But this was a big deal for Adora, and she couldn’t see her life without Adora. 

When her love came home; Adora seemed excited. She said she had a surprise for Catra and couldn’t wait to show her. While the two were sitting down at the door finally rang. Adora rushed up but not before finally placing the envelope of pictures Sue gave her on the table. 

“Look at these, I’ll be right back” Adora instructed.

Catra opened up and saw to her surprise photos of her as a child. The older photos looked copied from the worn originals. Some of them were blurry, but it was easy to make out what they all were. A few group shots of all the kids on their first days of kindergarten and first grade. Sue would make them were similar clothes to one another. Polos and jean shorts or T-shirts with overalls. The boys were the same in fashion too, it was odd how unisex she made them all dress. An outfit Adora could wear one-week Kyle could wear the next. She remembered they would get picked on for not having nice clothes and Catra would beat up their bullies. 

Some other photos were just of her and Adora; wither hugging each other and smiling with their mouths wide so it can be seen that they were starting to lose their baby teeth. Cuddling up on the couch together or sitting next to each other.

It was really strange how she got ahold of any of these. This would be something only a social worker from their past or Sue would have. Her thought cycle was caught off guard by the sound of Adora talking to someone. 

  
“She’s right in the kitchen” Adora whispered. 

Catra turned around to see the last person should would over imagine being present. The face of her old foster mother; Susan Weaver. 

After years of not seeing the woman; she had aged terrible. Her long thick black hair with streaks of grey; her tanned skin; now wrinkled and weather beaten; she lost weight. All be it she was always a skinny woman; she just looked sickly now. 

Her examination of her was cut short by the sudden embrace of the woman of her nightmares “Catra,” she softly said “My precious child, you’ve grown into such a beautiful young woman”

Catra froze in place. Unable to return the embrace; her eyes darted over to Adora to see that; Adora looked pleased with herself. Catra’s shock turned to rage as she moved away from Sue. She backed away; bumping into the table and she starred at the two of them.

Why would Adora think she wanted to see _Shadow Weaver_? Her nickname Catra gave her when she would lurk around the house looking for something to get angry at. Adora’s face fell a bit as she saw the look on Catra’s face. 

Sue stepped away from her and stood next to Adora. 

“I see your surprised to see me?” Sue commented. She turned to Adora. “perhaps I should let you speak”

Adora nodded and stepped closer to Catra and placed her hands on her forearms. “Honey, Sue is here to make emends with you. She wants to be in your life and wants to come to our wedding. She also has some really big news for you”

Catra felt like she couldn’t breathe. Sue was in her apartment Her half-packed up, messed up apartment. She could just hear every insult being said to her. _How could you live like this? Does Adora deserve to come to a home like this? What a mess you are!_

Sue then spoke up “I know this is a surprise and you have no desire to see me, But I do have something for you that I feel you would want to know about”

Catra’s voice shook a little as she answered, “What is that?”

Adora could feel Catra’s distress; she knew either a fit of anger or a major anxiety attack was coming on. Sue could tell Catra was uneasy. 

“Do you want to sit back down, or would you like me to leave and tell you another day?” Sue asked. Genuine concern seemed to be what was coming through her voice, but Catra took this as Sue calling her weak. 

Catra shook her head. “No—I can—deal with this” Her face burned. She didn’t want to come off as weak or shaken, but she was. This was the woman who abused her from age 2-16. 

Sue glanced at Adora before starting “I have tracked down your birth parents. Your father has an estate and money he put aside in a trust for you before his passing. All you need to do is accompany me to New Jersey for the lawyer to give you the estate papers, he has already given me the DNA kit for you to take so you can confirm you are his daughter. But I already know for a fact you are—we just need to go further with the process”

Catra felt weak in her knees but refused to show a sign of emotion to her. She didn’t deserve it. 

Adora rushed to her to hug her from the side. She was worried; she knew Catra wasn’t alright. 

Sue then took out a few papers and handed them to Adora. 

“This is all the information you need. We’ll be touch” she then backed away to the front door “It was good to see you, Catra”

With that she was gone. In the most terrifying and amanous way. 

Catra then pushed Adora from off of her and sat back down with her head in her hands. Adora tried to reach over to touch her shoulder. It was swatted away as she heard Catra’s voice shake as she asked “Wh—why would you bring her here!?” she looked up at Adora with absolute hurt in her eyes. Betrayal at the fact Adora would invite the women who has caused her so much pain into their house. 

_Years ago_

_They were at it again! Lonnie and the other kids stayed upstairs for the scream fest that was taking place downstairs. Report Card season was upon them and even though all her children received good grades; Catra was a straight A student with a slight edge to her. After a teacher suggested her to enroll into an art program for the summer instead of being home to babysit the younger foster kids for Sue It started off as a hard “No!” from Sue; but Catra kept pushing it. _

_“Why can’t I do this?! You’ll barely see me this summer! That’s a win for you!”_

_Sue then threw the letter at Catra; the girl was only in a tank top and shorts and Sue’s coffee was the next thing to be thrown at the teenager. _

_“You have responsibilities here, Catra! Those wont change! I won’t have you waste the summer away at some art fun house while we need things to get done here! I need you kids to work and watch over the little ones! The least you can do is be grateful and do this simple task!”_

_“What about preparing for my future!”_

_Sue let out a cold laugh “Future? What future do you think drawing will give you, Catra? What? do you think you’re the next Disney? The next big-time artist? Let’s be real if you graduate High School that will be the bar being set high for you! you won’t waste my time on frivolous dreams”_

_Catra felt her eyes water. A mixture from hot coffee being thrown all over her and the fact that Sue thought her future was a waste._

_Catra balled her hands into fists “I don’t need to babysit everyone else while your off drinking! I can leave! I can go to the social worker and get emancipated! I can leave and you can’t stop me!”_

_Sue lunged at Catra; grabbing her tank top straps and forcefully shaking her; unknowingly pushing her closer to the glass coffee table. “You can’t do anything unless I say so! You don’t have a choice!”_

_Catra tried to pry off Sue’s hands from her “Yes I do! You can’t treat me like this forever!”_

_Sue then retorted “You think they’ll just emancipate you and then you can leave!? You’ll be jailbait before your junior senior year of high school! No one will take care of you like I have! No one has ever loved you!”_

_“Let go of me!” Catra yelled. _

_With that Sue pushed her; causing Catra to lose her balance and fall back first on the glass table. Causing it to shatter. The most agonized cry of pain came from Catra as she looked up, she saw the other kids standing at the top of the stairs to her lying in broken glass crying in pain. It hurt so bad she couldn’t move. Her arms extender out and her legs were opened. Glass was everywhere; she was cut all around. _

_Sue looked fearful and rushed into the kitchen to grab the house phone. _

_“Yes, hello? Please bring an Ambulance, hurry! My foster daughter fell on a glass table and is badly hurt”_

_All Catra could do is cry. The pain was unbearable!_

_An investigation took place and Catra was severally scared around her upper back and behind her upper arms. She would sob at night; sleeping on her stomach. Lonnie felt pity for her. They didn’t get along well but seeing how awful Sue was to Catra made her feel sorry for her. Catra didn’t deserve this._

_Sue was terrified to leave permanent marks on her. If it got out that she did this, she could end up in jail. Even worse, she could lose all her foster kids. That was her mortgage and car payment, and all her other expenses. It was paid by each one of those kids. _

_She needed Catra out of the picture now. She claimed Catra attacked her and she pushed her in self-defense. She claimed she was in fear for her life. _

_This was not the story Catra gave her and nor was it the one Lonnie, Rogelio, and Kyle did either. In fear the three originally said they didn’t know what was going on, so they couldn’t be considered witnesses. Kyle broke under pressure of a few questions and it all went downhill from there. _

_Sue didn’t loose her rights to foster children so quickly though. The shady world of child protective services was all about what was easiest for the State. Catra got her wish to be emancipated; at the cost of being an underage girl living in a homeless shelter for women; who she hated, because they would steal her stuff and she would often fight with them and no one would help. The younger kids were removed from the home, but Lonnie and the boys stayed for another year for being placed in different group homes. Lonnie and Catra became close in this time. They saw each other differently now without Sue pining them against each other. _

_Sue hated Catra for years. It was because of Catra she had to give up her nice leased car and almost lost her home. She had to get a fulltime job and was cruel to the very end of Catra’s residence at her home. She denied her anything possible to make the transition to emancipation easy. Even denied driving her to the shelter on her first day out of the house. _

_She made Catra walk with travel luggage to a bus stop in the summer heat. _

_She scarred Catra physically and mentally for life. At Catra’s new school it was rumored she was gang member and most girls stayed clear of her. It wasn’t until she reunited with Adora; is when she felt a little better about herself. It wasn’t just Adora that made her happy. Thank God she met Scorpia and her family. Without them she would have been trapped in that nightmare of a shelter. _

Catra didn’t talk much to Adora for the rest of the night. 

She went to be early and didn’t say a word to her.

Adora stayed out in the living room and talked with Sue though instant messenger.

**Sue:**

**Perhaps, it should not have been a surprise.**

**Adora:**

**I guess not. But I was only thinking it would help her.**

**Sue:**

**We can’t assume what is best for her. I will make this right with her. But it will take time.**

**Adora:**

**She’s upset. We need to give her space. She works tomorrow.**

**Sue:**

**Where?**

**Adora: **

**At the Salon. Shaffer Bridal Spa. It’s in the mall.**

**Sue:**

**Does she accept walk-ins?**

**Adora: **

**She does but usually she is always busy. She might not be as busy tomorrow. Her scheduled appointments aren’t until Friday.**

**Sue:**

**I have another idea.**

**Adora: **

**Please be mindful she is sensitive. **

**Sue:**

**I am well aware. Don’t worry, Adora. I raised that girl. I know her well. You should get some rest. **

Adora went back to bed and tried to cuddle Catra. It didn’t go well. Catra ended up leaving the bed and sleeping on the couch. It hurt Adora’s feelings. 

The next day Catra was greeted at work with a welcome back brunch with the other cosmologists. It was a great way to start the workday. They all told her how sad they will be when she moves. It was a new feeling for Catra. People liked her and would miss her, not just because she was a good stylist, but because she was someone; who’s company was enjoyed. 

She was mostly in the back office for her shift. She went over some last-minute inventory and checked emails. She made sure none of her existing clients would be left high and dry after she left. She was called out of the office as someone; a walk-in personally asked for her. 

Catra assumed it was a fan. To her dismay it was Sue.

As much as she wanted to deny her the service; she didn’t want to make a scene in front of her other workers. 

She was going to have to play nice with Sue. Not because she wanted to. But because she had to, just like in her childhood….. Sue has come back to insert her dominance.

Sue was somewhat pleased with herself and Catra’s behavior. 

She asked for her greys to be covered up and for her face to be done up as a casual look for the day. The thought of touching her face and hair disgusted her on a moral level—since she was the one who had bruised her face as a child and even pulled on her hair. Now ten years later she can pop in and ask for a makeover, like it’s no big deal?

Catra couldn’t fight this. 

She brought her over to her chair and sat her down. 

“My, this is quite the arrangement here” Sue commented. Looking around; above Catra’s vanity was her certificates for cosmetology and her licenses for Permanent make-up. Other than that. All of Catra’s accessories were either cat themed or had cat prints on them somewhere. Right new to her scissor was a trophy and a plaque for “Best make-up artist in State”. Catra felt uneasy with the smile that was coming across Sue’s face. With the salon being busy, no one was to notice how uncomfortable Catra was. 

After a quick brush she moved Sue over to the hair washing sinks so she could get her hair ready for the dye to color up her grey streaks. Sue commented that Catra’s favorite thing to do with her was go to the hair salon with Sue when she was younger. It was her one thing that was exclusively between the two of them while she was growing up. Catra would get to sit in one of the empty salon chairs while Sue got her hair done. The salon ladies loved Catra; they would tell Sue what a good girl she was and how cute she was. Another rush of positive memories flooded back to her senses as Sue reminded her of another time:

“I would watch my soap operas and you would brush my hair for me. You loved it because you said it reminded you of the salon. You would do Lonnie and Adora’s hair to. I gave you fake scissors to play with. Remember when Adora gave herself bangs? You were the one who evened them out for her” 

Catra found herself chuckling at that memory. Her nor Adora got in trouble for that. Adora had walked into the kitchen, grabbed the scissors and told Sue she wanted bangs like super star. Before Sue could stop her; she had already cut her bangs lopped sided. As Adora started crying—Catra came to fix them and make them even. Sue liked how they looked and didn’t scold them. She told Adora to never do that again and Sue made it impossible to ever find the scissors again. 

After it was all done. Sue looked a lot younger with make up and her greys covered up. She thanked Catra by hugging her and asked how much it would all cost. Catra told her not to bother. It was a somewhat pleasant visit. But her mood was still slightly off for the rest of the day. 

When her and Adora were finally home together, she took the DNA test. 

If Sue really did find her father; that would be a good thing, right? What was her dad? He had an estate? Like land or a house? She didn’t really know. What about her mother? Why was she left up for adoption?

She had to get answers now. This was the last thing she would ever think she would have to face. Dealing with Sue again while she was planning her an Adora’s feature in Montana, and their wedding. 


	6. A mother worries

_Angella always liked Catra from the start. She saw through the bad girl image she tried to portray. She could see into those colorful eyes that she was love-struck over her precious Adora and would never do anything to hurt her. Glimmer never cared for her in the beginning. She thought she was a punk and was no good for Adora. All be it she was jealous that Catra was taking up so much of Adora’s time. Catra was going to all of Adora’s soccer practices and track meets. She even stole Adora away in the mornings on Saturday and Sunday when Catra worked at the coffee shop so she could make Adora fancy coffee drinks. Glimmer would try and steal Adora back from Catra on the days Catra worked at the retail shop but to no avail. Adora was too distracted by Catra’s siren call. It wasn’t too long before Catra came in on Micah’s territory with Adora. The two had a bond for sports and making model figures like model cars and Gundam’s. Catra got into hockey and making models and took time away Micah. Which hurt him deeply since Adora was his “little tomboy” and he enjoyed spending time with her. He liked Catra from the beginning to and he even arrested her once the year before Adora and Catra started dating. She was accused of vandalism by a neighbor who saw her spray painting a side of a building. When the police arrived and arrested her the business owner came by the station and informed them that he paid Catra to make a design for his business on the wall. After that, Micah liked it and hoped to see her again after that. Too bad it ended up being at the cost of his “daughter time”. Angella had no worries about her time with Adora being taken from her. She would make Adora lunch for school and watch their “The Voice” together. _

_All was well for her until she handed Adora her lunch bag; only for her to decline it and tell her Catra was making her lunch. _

_This came to Angella like a punch in the gut and Micah and Glimmer witnesses the crime take place. Instead of comforting Angella’s hurt feelings they laughed and told her she’s been “Adora-snatched” or “Cat-napped” by Catra. _

_Angella refused to let this go. She wasn’t giving up her Adora that easily to some punk in a leather jacket. _

_She knew Catra would go Adora’s soccer practice, so she tagged along on her day off to see Adora in action. She made it a point to sit next to Catra and cheer her on. Both trying to out a cheer for Adora; which was only EXTREMELY embarrassing for the blonde._

_“Uh, your mom and girlfriend know this is just practice, right?” One of her teammates asked. Adora had to rush over to the bleachers to ask them to leave._

_“Okay, guys, you two need to go,” Adora asked. _

_Catra crossed her arms “I come to see you practice all the time,”_

_Angella then added in “And, I’m your ride and you should let me stay for you”_

_Catra glared at her._

_Angella gave her the look right back._

_Adora ran her hands down her face and growled “You two are distracting and I need to focus! Can’t you two just go somewhere until I get, I’m done?”_

_Angella and Catra glared at each other and looked away. Angella sat up and kissed Adora’s sweaty forehead “Alright, love—Catra and I will take our leave, right Catra?”_

_Catra nodded but still gave her another glare before leaving. _

_“Bye, sweetie,” Angella said as she hugged her and gave her a quick kiss on the forehead again. Catra short he a look and hugged Adora after her but gave her a kiss on the lips; right in front of Angella. _

_As much as that would have warranted the two of them to clash it ended up being a good conversation starter. How much they cared for Adora. She was able to get Catra to talk about their childhood in foster care and Catra was able to ask how Adora was when she left the foster home. Angella made sure to let Catra know Adora talked about her all the time and missed her deeply. _

_It turned out to be a great day together. Both Catra and Angella found common ground in things they like. They both had an interest in fashion and makeup. When Micah went to pick Adora up from soccer practice; she arrived to see her sister in the front doorway telling her it was like a horror movie in the house. Adora was caught off guard by this and went in the kitchen to smell something good—like Catra’s Spanish food cooking. She saw Angella and Catra laughing and talking while they were cooking together. _

_Glimmer commented “See? Horror! Mom and Catra are now besties” _

_Adora felt her heart flutter. The people she loved now loved each other. _

Now to present day Adora was now spooning her fiancé in their empty apartment. The move was coming up soon. And they have both been in contact with Sue over what was to come with Catra’s family. The story Sue gave Catra and Adora was that she was looking into Catra’s parents for years and finally got a lead on who they were. Her mom died in childbirth and her dad was unaware of her death and childbirth. Sue was in contact with her father shortly before his passing of terminal cancer and he learned he was a very private man; never married, had no children. And lived frugally despite owning a real estate and construction business. Adora would be at her new job working by the time Catra and Sue would be New Jersey; making this a bonding trip between the two. 

When Catra and Adora told their respective adoptive mother’s the two had deep concerns for this. 

Cheryl was the mother of Scorpia. She took Catra in when she was sixteen; since that was her daughter’s good friend and also because she couldn’t handle the thought of Catra being in a homeless shelter. After one year into Catra living with them, she offered to Catra if she wanted to be adopted. Which in return lead to the teenager rushing into her arms and sobbing uncontrollably. She loved that girl. And she saw how much Adora and Catra cared for each other. She was very wary of Sue. When Catra was ready she finally opened up to her about how awful things were for her as a child and how evil a woman Sue could be. 

Angella was worried too. Both Adora and Catra were extremely sensitive and any bad news with Sue could ruin the happiest moment in their young lives.

Cheryl sipper her coffee and offered flatly “I don’t like that woman; she’s hurt those girls too much to be any good news”

Angella agreed with her and sipped her tea “I don’t like the idea either. I don’t know what Sue could be doing. What does help Catra find her birth father do?”

“Do you think it’s a hoax?” would Sue to be cruel enough to lead Catra astray like that?

“I hope not, but if Catra comes from wealth then the girl is indeed entitled to that fortune if anything is left to her”

“Do you think Sue would try and steal it from her?”

“I don’t think anything legally like that can ever happen, but it is strange for her to look into Catra’s background unless she already had reasons to”

The two sat in silence. 

Cheryl then added in “If that woman hurts our girls, I’ll—”

“Kneel behind her and I’ll push?” Angella offered. The two laughed

“Deal,”

It wasn’t long before the apartment was empty and Adora was on the plane to Montana. 

Catra stayed behind and Cheryl’s house to wait for the flight to New Jersey with Sue. This was going to be a huge deal. She was going to learn to abut her dad. 

Cheryl wished she went with Catra; that or Scorpia, but neither could get the time off on such short notice. 

Catra and Sue were on a flight together; elbows touching on the three-hour flight. Catra was tired from the night before; stress made it hard to sleep. Sue offered for Catra to rest her head on her shoulder. She lovingly patted the side of Catra’s face as she slept on the flight in. She heard talk softly to the other passenger on the flight that “her daughter” was a popular hair and makeup designer from Rhode Island. It made Catra happy. This was what she always wanted from Sue. Love. 

_Back when Catra was sixteen and living without Sue_

_Stress and anxiety are what Sue gave Catra as her parting gift away from her home. It was close to December and her basement apartment bellow Scorpia’s house was cold—really cold. It was originally going to be a rental room since it had a private bathroom and kitchenette. Cheryl and her husband decided Catra would be more comfortable with that space to herself. They knew she loved to paint and draw, and that space had the room for her to do all of that. Catra was beyond grateful; but hesitant to ask them for anything. She was already given so much from. She was hungry. But she was too afraid to ask for her paycheck from working at the coffee shop for them. It was their business, but she didn’t feel right asking for her money; since she lived rent-free. Also, her paycheck for the beauty shop was only for one days’ worth of work and that was bi-weekly, so she had no money until then. Plus, she was on her period with no pads or tampons. She felt like she was dying. Freezing, tired, hungry, and cramping. She texted Scorpia and told her she wasn’t feeling well and wasn’t going to school. She ducked her head under her several layers of blankets and her two jackets and cried. _

_Her sobbing didn’t stop until she heard someone come down the stairs._

_“Carlotta? Sweetie? Scorpia told me you weren’t feeling too well and I wanted to check on you—Oh, lord it is freezing down here!” she rushed over to see Catra hidden in blankets “No wonder your sick, you must be frostbitten” she said pulling off the covers to see Catra’s teary eyes and a towel under her. _

_“Cat!? Sweetie, what’s wrong?” Cheryl exclaimed worriedly. She crouches down to be eye level with the girl. Catra sniffled and tried to hold back her tears._

_“I don’t feel well, okay” she didn’t want to sound rude but she was hungry and cramping._

_Cheryl rubbed her head “Did you eat yet?”_

_“No”_

_“Why not? Aren’t you hungry?”_

_“I don’t have money for food”_

_Cheryl blinked and shook her head in confused “Huh? Money. Sweetie, you have two paychecks still in the cash register you haven’t cashed yet, and besides the fridge upstairs is filled with food. You know you can come upstairs anytime you want to eat, right”_

_Catra sniffled. “I—” she sat up and rubbed her eyes “I don’t want you to get annoyed with me for being needy. I’m emancipated. I need to figure this out on my own”_

_Cheryl then asked “Why are you sleeping on a towel? Is your bed wet?”_

_Catra gave her a look “I didn’t pee on it! I’m on my period and I don’t have any tampons,” she whined. She felt embarrassed to have to tell her that. Cheryl must thing she’s gross for that. _

_Cheryl then got back to her feet “Okay, so you need tampons, a space heater and something to eat, anything else?” _

_Catra gave her a confused look. Cheryl made it sound like she was going to do those things for Catra. _

_The brunette looked at the short curly-haired women and questioned “W—why would you want to do any of that for me?”_

_Cheryl looked surprised “Because you need them, also I can cash your checks for you. So, you’ll have money for other things—” she looked over to see Catra looked confused. She was grateful but unable to process this kindness. _

_Cheryl then kneeled down again to cup Catra’s face “I’ll get you some McDonalds while I’m out. I know what your favorite food order is. I’ll be back soon, okay?”_

Catra felt frozen. Her eyes made it clear to Cheryl that this was new to her. She gently stroked Catra’s cheek and softly told her “Hey, I know you're emancipated, and you are very proud of that. You worked hard for that and you’ve been through a lot. But regardless of being a legal adult. You are still a child under my roof and love you and I will not let you feel like you need to suffer because you don’t have something, your or girl now, okay? Catra? I just want you to know I’ll take care of you”

With that, she kissed her forehead and went off to run those errands. Leaving Catra alone to cry for a different reason. 

That was the first time Catra could ever recall feeling truly loved. 


	7. Sue Weaver at her finest!

_The idea was a long time coming. Put when it popped into her mind, she needed to go for it. She did all her research; where were the most romantic places to propose? The most popular cut of diamond? How much they were—Jeez! That much? What’s the second most popular cut of the diamond, and how long did it take to plan a wedding?_

_All these thoughts ran through Catra’s mind during work. Luckily, she could vent to all the other hairdressers; there was no way in hell they would ever run into Adora—The girl still bites her nails, she wouldn’t be caught dead on the beauty strip in the mall unless it was to see Catra._

_They all had their ideas to chime in with. Romantic dinner, a grand display of affections, one girl suggested pranking Adora and as much as that would be fun for Catra; she knew Adora wouldn’t like it. _

_Another hairdresser asked, “What did her parents say when you told them you were going to propose?”_

_Catra looked confused “What? I didn’t ask them, why would I? they’ve known me for years,”_

_The room of five divas turned into a room of disgruntle sounds and hums of disapproval._

_“You got to ask them first” one offered. “When my cousin married her boyfriend of 10-years my aunt was furious to find out with only getting snapchat of the ring on her finger, she even threw shade at the wedding rehearsal”_

_Another stylish pointed out “My husband told my parents and they flat out told him “No” because he wasn’t established in his career yet when he started making more money he asked again and then they approved. I don’t know how supportive they would have been if he didn’t do that”_

_Catra looked around at all the eyes staring at her “W—well, as of now I earn more then Adora and I also can take care of her,”_

_“Isn’t she going to be a doctor soon?” one asked._

_“Well, a veterinarian, but yes,”_

_Another round of disproving hums filled the room. _

_Catra then panicked “What? Do you think they’ll say no?”_

_Silence filled the room before a customer walked in. Catra was left to her thoughts all day and that was never good. _

_Would Angella and Micah disapprove of this? They were still young, but they weren’t fresh out of high school or college. They were entering their late twenties. _

_If anyone could help her answer that it would be._

_Ugh, Glimmer…. or as she would affectionally call sparkles. _

_She began the text message with_

** _Catra:_ **

** _Need your help with a few things_ **

** _Glimmer:_ **

** _Ummm….. Catra this is Glimmer….._ **

** **

** **

** _Catra: _ **

** _I know, I need your help._ **

** **

** _Glimmer:_ **

** _must be serious if you’re asking me._ **

** **

** _Catra:_ **

** _It is. Are you alone?_ **

** _Glimmer:_ **

** _I’m with Bow_ **

** _Catra:_ **

** _Perfect, he doesn’t count_ **

** _Glimmer:_ **

** _Rude_ **

** _Catra:_ **

** _Sorry, but this is serious, and it has to do with Adora. I’m going to ask her to marry me. But, I need a ton of shit to start this off, I need help with finding a ring she’d like, I want to know if your parents will be cool with this, and I need you to be cool with this too since if all goes well I could be your sister-in-law._ **

_No response for at least two minutes, Catra started to panic. Was Glimmer laughing at the idea of her and Adora getting married? Was it so stupid for her to think that Adora would want to be married to her? Before Catra could reply with something along the lines of “Just kidding” her phone began to ring. _

_It was Angella. _

_Oh crap._

_She answered and tried to play it off as if she was surprised by the call. _

_“Um, Hello, Angella?”_

_Fearing what was going to come from the posh British mother, she let out a slightly nervous laugh followed by a squeak. _

_Angella laughed through the phone hearing how nervous Catra sounded and offered her to come over for dinner. _

_“Adora won’t be home until later, but I’m sure you would be kind enough to join us a little early, right?”_

_Her chipper tone was no question, it was a demand, and she was not going to deny her. _

_Catra agreed and the conversation ended. _

_She then frantically texted Glimmer_

** _Catra:_ **

** **

** _What did you say to your mom?!_ **

** **

** **

_She didn’t get a response. Which only drove her crazier._

_Where they happy or upset that Catra was even thinking of marrying Adora? she couldn’t tell!_

All the thoughts of why she was here running through Catra’s mind. She got on a two-hour plane ride with Sue Weaver, just to meet up with someone who could be her father’s family. Supposedly there was money involved. Catra couldn’t find any of this credible.

If she came from money, then why didn’t her “FATHER” ever come and get here!?

Sue knew more then what she was leading on, but the strong twenty-seven-year-old fell weak to Sue. Just like the little girl she once was, all she craved was Sue’s approval. Hearing Sue brag to anyone who would have her ear in the hotel lounge about her popular make-up artist daughter sent Catra into an almost bashful state. The gentle touches on the forearm and the way she stroked the side of her mouth when she had some sauce on it while they had lunch was something out a dream. She was doting on her like when she started to call Cheryl mom, but to be fair Cheryl always tried to dote on Catra. Even before the adoption she always wanted to be loving towards her. 

Sue then offered the bold offer to have a shot of liquor together. Catra mentioned that alcohol gives her migraines, but to not look weak in front of Sue she still accepted the shot. Two more shots and few fruity cocktails and Catra was drunk off her ass. She remained composed as possible. She saw the smirk on Sue’s face and that was all she needed to know that Sue could see through her drunken state. Sue—still trying to be the doting caregiver offered migraine pills to Catra; the pills were a pale grayish blue and Catra just assumed it was a cheap off-brand. She didn’t question them and took them. After some water and one last shot, they decided to leave the lounge and return to the hotel room. They were sharing a suite with two separate bedrooms. As Catra stood up she immediately became lightheaded. Sue—offering her some dignity took her arm and walked her out. They made it to the elevator to where Catra collapsed.

“Catra! my child? Are you okay? Catra? Catra?”

Catra was drifting into a deep sleep. Unable to regain her composure. She fell silent. 

_Adora had her laptop on the kitchen counter and explains all the details to Catra. _

_“This job pays amazing! And they cover so much of our living and other lie expenses! I’ll be around celebrity polo players and their horses all day!” _

_Of course, leave it to Adora to be excited for horses. Catra hummed in agreement. The money was good. It was triple what Catra made last year and Catra was a very well-paid Make-up artist and stylist. But, Adora was the Doctor. Dr. Adora T. Brighten, While Catra was just some stylist. As much as she wanted to be proud of her wife, she couldn’t help but feel some envy. For all the hours of work, Catra has placed into her craft and all the hours she puts in every month—Adora was going to make over $100 an hour. Just by placing her hand up some horse’s ass. She should be happier for Adora’s dream job but cost Catra her already established a career. Moving to Montana and leaving the city gives limited options for salons. She would be on a Polo ranch and far from the city. _

_She kept a brave face through this. She didn’t want to make Adora upset. As much as she loved her. She could be so dense and selfish. Not nearly as bad as Entrapta in some cases but she was pretty bad. Catra would never blame it on Adora’s autism. It was a sensitive subject. But they’re her girlfriend was. Excited and asking all these huge life changes without any thought of much it was going to hurt Catra. Like always, Adora is quick to jump on anything good for her; despite how it hurts others. To add even more salt in the wounds Adora added in with,_

_“With this salary, you don’t even need to work, Catra” _

_Although it was not a malice statement it did hurt that Adora didn’t realize how important her career was to her. As if Adora was telling she could quit her stupid little hobby. It hurt like hell. Catra couldn’t bring herself to retort back or rip Adora a new asshole for being so insensitive—all she did was chuckle and reply “Oh, that’s great babe, I’ll keep that in mind,”_

_She then embraced Adora. All she wanted was to have Adora see how hurt she was—but she didn’t have it in to do so, she hugged her, kissed, it ended up leading them to the bedroom and all she wanted to do was by near the woman she loved. Even If that meant giving up everything she loved. It made her feel weak. She was always going to be weak for Adora. _

Catra woke up in the hotel room. On her bed sat Sue as she stroked Catra’s face. Lovingly. 

“Want some water?” Sue asked.

Catra nodded and at up. 

She felt weak and dizzy and also stupid for getting this sick over alcohol. Or maybe it was that cheap migraine pill Sue gave her? Either way, she felt weak and stupid.

Sue offered to help Catra get into more comfortable clothes which only fueled the embarrassment. She was being babied. She really could have used this when she was a kid—but this was better than nothing. 

“Catra, I need to tell you some more things about your parents before you go see the lawyer tomorrow,”

“Okay?” Catra confusedly replied.

Sue took a deep breath before stroking the side of Catra’s face one more time.

“You look so much like her, Y’know”

“Who?”

“Your mother; Cy’ra……. She was very dear to me…… “

Catra was too weak to jump up but she was shocked to hear this “What? You knew my mom?” Catra’s voice was weak too. She didn’t have any strength to show any power of Sue.

“Maria was someone I was with for years, she died in childbirth—she cheated on me while she went to visit family in Puerto Rico. She is so much like you……N—not in the cheating. Heaven knows you love Adora too much for that, but your mannerisms, your sense of humor and attitude you received from her”

Catra closed her eyes tightly. Her face looked pained. She didn’t know how to handle all this information. 

“You and my mom were together?”

“Married. To be exact. I knew I was always going to raise you from the beginning. Even in tough times between us, I never wanted to let you go—I had no control over you when you became old—just like Cy’ra you were unstoppable—like her”

Catra tried to sit up from the bed. Sue helped her sit up. “Then why, did you treat me the way you did?”

Sue paused and looked away for a second. She didn’t look back at Catra when she replied with “You reminded me so much of her—you always have. And myself. As much as I hated her for leaving me the way she did—dying and her family was too poor to raise you, I felt like I needed to do this for her and myself. I cared for you. As much as you thought I didn’t, but I was a depressed woman. I lost love and a career and everything else imaginable. I kept you around as long as I could—I tried to do right by you—but couldn’t,”

Catra cried “I have a massive scar all over my back because of you! couldn’t wear a dress for prom because of it! I couldn’t even wear cute bathing suits or backless dresses! I have a tattoo covering them now! If you cared so much why did you—HuRRRK!” Catra dry heaved.

Sue moved her off the bed and to the bathroom. 

She watched as Catra vomited in the toilet. Catra started to cry!

“W—why did you wait to tell me this!? I always asked about my family! Why did you never tell me!?”

Sue patted her back “Because, if I told you—you would have left, and your mother didn’t come from a good family home, If I surrender you to them—you would have ended up far worse then you thought your life was when I had you”

“You w—were cruel!”

Catra cried. Her head still above the toilet as Sue helped up back to the bed. 

Catra continued sobbing and asking over and over again why Sue was so hurtful and mean to her as a child. Sue stopped talking. 

She just allowed the young woman so sob as she placed her back to bed—just like a child—just like when Catra would cry over something at home when she was young. 

It was too much for Sue to handle then, and now it was even worse. She left Catra alone for the night. Crying. 

_Back when Adora and Catra started dating; Adora would always press for Catra for details on how Sue was after she had left. After Adora was adopted Sue was meaner. Catra hated thinking of Sue. If only Adora could understand this. If only she could understand being hit, smacked, shoved, and pushed. Being told she was useless, disappointing, and ungrateful. Being sent to bed without dinner, to be forced to walk to school in the rain—to have drawings and pictures ripped up out of spite. To be told no one will love her. All those things would bother Catra to no end. _

Now finally sobering from the night of crying uncontrollably. Catra peaked into seeing that Sue wasn’t asleep either.

“Catra?” Sue answered from the desk in her room.

Catra exhaled through her nose and asked “Can we talk? I need to know more”


	8. Reason(s) aren't always fair

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sue justifies years of abuse to Catra, but is it really fair?

_The Dean of the Admissions board handed a young Susan Weaver papers to sign. _

_“Complying with a military university; the faculty and must adhere to the military guidelines and protocols. Don’t ask don’t tell permits under no circumstance is one to question the sexuality of another as it is also concerned to not share private information of one’s sexual preference to anyone on the University from the teacher, student, or medical professional on campus.”_

_After that was done Sue was dismissed from her college admission to the most prominent military college in the country after being outed as gay by a teacher who she had made the poor mistake of trusting. _

_Now, Sue was back home. Back to help her overly jovial parents run their foster home. She was a college-age woman and she had succumbed to the infuriating daily routine from high school._

_Wake up the older children_

_Start breakfast_

_Wake the smaller children_

_Start the station wagon before driving off and make the rounds from high school, middle school, and elementary school; while her mother cleans the house while the children are away, and her father goes off to work. Her mother was kind but didn’t take no for an answer. After sneaking out to drink last night; all Sue wanted to do was go back to bed until her class at community college was scheduled, but her mother made her go grocery shopping. _

_She felt such hatred toward her parents. Bleeding hearts—they were all about church, charity, children; more importantly, other people’s children. The unwanted foster children were where her parent’s hearts were in. Not, Sue, she was an extra hand for help. They were never cruel, and they did love her, but their lack of attentiveness to her needs was exhausting. It was always about another kid and never her. It was all the more exhausting to keep up a smile and have people fawn over the selflessness of the Weaver family and while Sue internally cursed her parents and wished for them to be gone. No, not them to be gone. That was too absurd. _

_She wanted to be gone._

Sue sat on her bed and watched the mid-twenties child shaking ask to talk. A smile attempted to come across her face. Before it was a demand and now it was a plea. She still was afraid and control over this woman—no, child. Catra was always a child to her. 

“Tell me more about my mom” Catra croaked out. 

_Two bears and a shot of rum down and Sue was finally feeling better. Suitcase in the backseat of her Toyota Tercel and she was feeling okay. Now 21 with a childhood education degree from a community college at hand, a low paying teacher's assistance job and a cheap apartment on the south end of town were not all that bad. So, what if her parents cried over her leaving. Big deal. They didn’t cry for her, they cried for one less hand to help them run a foster home. _

_She was ready for her second shot of rum until a dainty caramel-skinned hand reached over to touch her shoulder._

_“You look pissed,” the sultry voice of a siren said to her. Sue snarled at the disturbance; only to find hazel eyes and brown curly air, and a cascade of freckles over a beautiful face. Sue didn’t let her attractiveness stop her from snapping backing with “Only when I’m being bothered”_

_The strange beauty let out a high-pitched giggled. It was the most annoying laugh Sue had ever heard. But whatever it was about her made Sue give her the time of day. A long conversation at the bar, taking turns paying for rounds of drinks and being too drunk to drive leads them to sleep in Sue’s Tercel overnight in the bar parking lot. Whatever it was about her. Made it worth the wasted time. That night of hating her parents was lost in the memories of the woman she barely knew but somehow was going to be stuck with for seventeen years._

Sue motioned for Catra to sit next to her. With a long pause, Sue offered her a small insight into her deceased mother’s personality. 

“Cy’ra was special. Charming and a loudmouth. She had a way of getting on everyone’s nerves with her attitude but that never seemed to get in her way from getting what she wanted. Despite her background and her struggles, she seemed to get whatever she wanted. She was in a military college in Puerto Rico before she moved to the United States and she had a teaching job at a top-performing private school. she got me a job there and we lived on campus together as teachers. It was because of her I had a good job and we lived happily together”

Catra looked away. confused. “Then how did you become a foster parent if you had such a great job then?”

Sue looked down “My father died. We went home for the funeral and my mother was ill. I ended up placing her in elderly care while I inherited a dilapidated house,” she chuckled to herself “If you thought the neighborhood was shit in the early 2000s then you should have seen it back in the ’80s. It was a ghetto worse than what it was in the 90s” 

Her eyes narrowed as she remembered “Cy’ra loved the house for some reason. She made it her mission to remodel and fix up that house on our off time. We had so much money due to living rent-free on campus and all was well until the academy went under allegations of child abuse,” she turned to Catra and waved her finger at her.

“Never cross a rich white family when it comes to their token children. Those parents brought hell to the academy. Lawsuits and lies and everything imaginable. Soon after we decided to quit and enter the public school to evade the scandal and thankfully, we did because it wasn’t long after until the gay male teacher was outed and chased out of town. This was the 80’s Catra….. It was not a good time to be gay. It still isn’t and will never be”

Catra then mumbled out “I never thought you were gay. You had that guy friend that came over sometimes”

Sue smiled fondly at the memory “that was John…. He was my fake boyfriend at the community center. He was a gay man that needed a cover to work with children and so did I”

“You never seemed to like kids” Catra stated. “You never seemed to want to be around us”

Sue shrugged “It might have seemed that way, but I do care for the wellbeing of others. I know your memories tell you differently but I did care for those no one could care about…..”

_“It's such a big house it should remain a foster home. We can do tutoring and provide a good home for needy kids. We can still work regular jobs. I can still work my job and you don’t have to stress anymore” Cy’ra offered. _

_She took Sue’s hand and lifted it to her lips and kissed it. Her eyes deservedly looking into Sue’s hoping for her to agree. Reluctantly she did. Soon after. They took out a giant loan to fix up the house. It looked better than before. Then they started the foster program._

_Government grants, each child bringing in a special income and Cy’ra working as a translator at a bank made money flow so well. Sue was a homebody. Something she never thought she would ever want, but in time just did. Years later she was starting to resent it. _

_Stuck with kids all day. Teachers' meetings and having less qualified educators tell her how badly her children did in school. _

_Making lunches for almost eleven kids a day. _

_Growing attached to babies just to have some snooty mother with pearls around her neck coddle them endlessly and leave without any hope of ever seeing them again._

_First, she would cry to Cy’ra about how much it broke her heart to see kids she grew to love to become adopted or children who were so mentally unstable go into hospitals and never come out._

_Sometimes the teenagers would graduate high school and have good jobs while others turned to crime. It broke her to know all her hard work with them went nowhere. She raised children who never loved her enough to stay. _

_To add insult; they all loved Cy’ra. Miss Delmonico was the fun one! Not Miss Weaver. Miss Weaver was the one who cooked and cleaned and told them to clean their rooms and get their homework done. _

Sue walked over to the hotel room minibar. She opened up the small bottle of wine and took a swig of pinot noir and sat back down to face Catra again. “Everything was easy for her. Nothing came hard. She could have anyone fall in love with her; which she did, and she used it to her advantage. Several years into the foster home business is when she kept going back home to Puerto Rico to visit family. Of course, I could never go….. the one time I could be only when we had two foster children and they had to tag along. But the visits home came to be more frequent and then…….”

_Cy’ra sobbed as Sue started to violently throw her belongings in a suitcase. _

_“Please! Sue doesn’t do this!”_

_Sue opened up the draws to their dresser and looked through them._

_“Do you want all your scarves now or should I mail them to your new address?”_

_“Sue?”_

_Sue threw the clothes down on the bed and cried “How could you do this to us! To me? We had a whole life together and you threw that out for one-night stand! With some tourists?!” _

_Cy’ra sobbed into Sue’s arms “I never meant to hurt you. I can’t give up this baby! Please don’t make me!”_

_Sue cried “No! I would never ask you to do that!”_

Catra sat on the bed motionless. 

Sue handed her the wine bottle “I guess you can assume you were the baby, right? It was a fling that tuned out to be more. Your father worked for a company that flew him out to Puerto Rico all the time. Your mother and he would meet and well—let your imagination take you to where it needs to go…. Soon after you were born. She died two days after childbirth. Your father conveniently ran out on the idea of child support and being a father. He said he was _too poor_ to be a good dad. So, he left. I always kept in minor contact with him. As a guilt trip, I always sent your school photos to him so he could see how much you looked like your mother. He never sent them back, so I assumed he either kept them or threw them away. About a year or after you started college he made his way to contact me through an email to ask about you…..”

Sue paused to look at Catra’s uneasy expression.

She proceeded “I told him you were well. Working in a beauty salon like your mother once did for her part-time job. I said you were in school for business and you had an apartment and good friends. He always wanted to call you and get to know you, but I told him_ No one would want to hear from a man who abandons a motherless child to be an orphan_. Soon after the emails stopped. It wasn’t until he was rich and deadly ill when he made it his mission to contact me again. I dreaded it because he was under the impression you and I had a good relationship. For clear reasons I did not let him know otherwise”

Catra’s heart was starting to race_. Sue stopped her dad from getting to know her! Sue lived her whole life about her parents! _

Sue went on some more “He died wealthy and wanted to make sure you had a good life in some kind regards to him. So, he left you an inheritance. You received almost everything. Minus his house. That goes to close friend and I get a small check for making it all happen. You get to be set for life because of me”

Catra didn’t know how to take this all in. The money was something she never believed for possible. It wasn’t like this was true at all. But it was. She had a dad that wanted to be in her life. Not at the beginning but later in her life when he could be a better dad and Sue stopped her from doing that. 

Before Catra could say anything to reply to this information her body lurched from the incoming feeling of vomit. She darted out of Sue’s room to puke in the bathroom. 

Sue took this time apart to pour Catra a plastic cup of ginger ale and dropped a tablet to dissolve in it. 

Catra cried in the bathroom. Sue left her room to see Catra was sitting on the edge of the tub just bawling her eyes out. 

She knew she had made her cry. She knew how sensitive Catra too bad news and she was had given her the worst news possible. Finding out in her late twenties that her mother and Sue were a thing and her father didn’t want to be a dad to her when he was poor, but later did want to be in her life, only for Sue to push him away without Catra’s regards was downright cruel. 

Sue offered her the drink and set Catra back to bed in her room. In some odd attempt at motherly care, she kissed her forehead. 

Catra became dizzy and tired. She fell fast asleep. 

While Catra rested; Sue took out her laptop to change her flight information. She made it so Catra and she were not on the same flight anymore. She had herself leave the next day instead of the day after tomorrow.

She also took the time to email the estate lawyer and tell him that she and Catra would meet with him and different times now. Sue packed her things up quietly and left the hotel. Telling the front desk to give room 205 a wake-up call for 8:00 am.

What Catra didn’t know was Sue had given her sleeping pills to make her tired and mixed it with alcohol to practically knocking her out. While she fled, she blocked Catra, Adora, and anyone else’s number that would try and contact her in the morning. Being awake this late reminded her of the most unhealthy and colicky baby she ever cared for. 

_It was midnight again. Little Carlotta cried in her crib. Sue sat up to rock her, feed her, and change her diaper. She couldn’t get her to burp and the baby would tug at her eyes and cry louder and louder with every breath._

_“You better become a singer or actress if you're going to start acting like you being killed every night,” Sue said holding the baby girl in her arms. She hated how much she looked like her. This child was the reason Cy’ra was gone. The soul example of Cy’ra and her infidelity and untrustworthy nature. This child was everything wrong with Sue now. The newfound struggled with raising an infant. The other babies like Lonnie and the newest baby Adora were more well-mannered and slept through the night. Because of Carlotta’s inability to sleep the whole night she had to be in Sue’s room to not wake up the other babies. Despite Sue’s room being the only room in the house the smelt like cigarettes. It was the reason Carlotta was always sick. Either way._

From this moment forward Sue showed her only the cruelest upbringing. She humiliated, degraded, and abused her for all of her life. In return, Carlotta was troublesome, a rebel, and defiant at any turn. But she was a beautiful child, an artist, and ambitus, all things Sue had once had in her youth. Now it was being passed on to a child she despised. It was unfair. She could never bring herself to love her, even though she prevented her from being adopted many times, It was only after the glass table incident is when she decided it was best for Carlotta to not be around her anymore. In reality, she did miss her, she missed what she could do and who she could take out all her anger on, but in some way, she missed her for just being herself. 

Her suffering paid off when the bastard child’s father called. Sick with cancer, but he built a fortune. He wanted his blood child to have it. 

Sue wanted a cut for raising her. He firstly declined then gave in. By the time it was all settled her was dead. And now, Sue would walk away with enough money to retire happily out of the state and Carlotta will have money of her own. At last, it felt even. 

To make things even better, she didn’t even have to go to that stupid wedding. 

**Author's Note:**

> Created a Ko-FI account. Accepting Tips.
> 
> https://www.ko-fi.com/garbagefanfics


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